ATLANTA (AP) — Somali referee denied entry to the United States for world cup Tournament entry fees will continue to be paid in full.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. Omar Altan Even if you don’t officiate a match during the roughly six-week event, you’re still entitled to get paid. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
They said the price would be determined after the tournament ends next month.
Artan is one of the top executives in football and was named Africa’s Best Male Referee in 2025. However, the Somali national was refused entry after arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul last week.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan was “inadmissible due to vetting concerns.”
He was initially granted a visa to travel to the United States and was scheduled to meet other World Cup officials at their training base in Miami, according to the Somali embassy in Kenya, which handled the case.
FIFA said it is not involved in immigration checks and that the host country’s government ultimately decides who is allowed into the country. As a result, Artan announced that he would not be able to practice or officiate at the World Cup.
Altan, 34, received a hero’s welcome when he returned to Somalia earlier this week and vowed to take part in the 2030 World Cup, which will mainly be held in Morocco, Portugal and Spain. Host one of European soccer’s showcase gamesthe UEFA Super Cup in August.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said in a statement: “Football is created to bring people together and UEFA would like to pay tribute to Mr. Omar and his outstanding refereeing skills.”
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James Robson is https://x.com/James Saran Robson
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
